Jacob howbll



(No Model.)

J. HOWELL.

Vehicle Axle.

No. 242,093. Patented May 24,1881.

X @W W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB HOWELL, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO N. B. HALL,OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,093, dated May 24,1881.

Application filed March 26, iasi. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JACOB HOWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson,

' in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Axles and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters orfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an axle embodying my improvements.Fig.2 is a view of the skein-bolt detached, and Fig. 3 is a perspectiveof part of one of the axle-pieces.

A represents the upper part of the axle, and B the lower part. Theseparts are formed of wood of suitable, nature, and each extends in onecontinuous piece from the outer end of one skein to that of the other.They are tapered at each end at a and b to form the spindles.

Herctofore it has been customary in manufacturing wooden axles to makeeach of them from one piece. 111 order to attach the reach and houndstothe axle when thus constructed it is necessary to cut mortises, and thisnecessarily weakens the axles and requires that it should bestrengthened by metallic braces and straps.

To avoid the cutting and consequent weakening of the axleIhave devisedthe form herein shown.

The parts A and B are steamed, so that the wood can be bent withoutdanger to the fiber. After being steamed sufficiently they are thenbentinto the shape shown at I in Fig. 1. The part A is of the samelength substantially as the part B, and is at the outer ends bentdownwardly to conform to the upwardly-bent ends of the part B.

The adjoining faces of the two parts a and b of the spindle areflattened, so that when the parts are secured together a tight jointwill be obtained.

C represents a buttin g-rin g which surrounds the spindle and furnishesa bearing for the inner end of the hub to butt against.

' D is the skein, which may be of the ordinary character. It is placedaround and holds together the parts a and b of the spindle.

E is a collar. which fits around the outer end of the spindle andserves, together with a nut, F, to lock the skein in place. The nut Fengages with the outer end of the skein-bolt G, which is seated inrecesses formed in the contiguous faces of the parts a and b. It hasahead, 9, situated transversely to the shank of the bolt, and arrangedto bear against the shoulders formed on the inner sides of the woodenparts A and B. This construction and arrangement of the skein-boltproduces a secure fastening. The skein is so arranged that the parts Aand B project through it, and the nut F can thus be caused to clamp thecollar E, the skein D, and the butting-ring C more firmly than if thescrew-thread were carried by one of the parts only, as is the case withsome axles as now constructed.

It will be seen that by forming the axle in the manner described I notonly avoid the cutting of mortises, but, moreover, produce an arched ortruss axle having all the advantages incident to those of thatcharacter.

The bolster H, rests upon the central or arched portion of the upperpart, A, of the axle. It is held in place by the bolt K, which alsopivots the reach, as shown at It.

What I claim is- 1. The vehicle-axle herein described, having the upperpart, A, formed of a piece of wood bent downwardly at the outer ends,and the lower part, B, formed of wood bent upwardly at the outer ends,said upper and lower parts, A and B, conforming substantially in shapeand construction, whereby they form a double wooden arch, as set forth.

2. In a vehicle-axle, the combination of the lower part extending fromend to end of the axle, and the upper part, A, of substantially the samelength as the lower part, formed of a piece of wood bent downwardly atthe outer ends, and the skein D surrounding said parts the cross-head g,and situated between the sepa- A and B, and situated to have the part Aprorable parts A and B of the axle, as set forth. :3 ject through saidskein, substantially as set In testimony whereof I am); my signatureforth. in presence of two witnesses.

3. In a vehicle-axle, the combination, with JACOB HOWELL.

the upwardly-bent wooden part B and the Witnesses: downwardly-bentwooden part A, separable H. R. HALL, from the part B, of the skein-holtG, having N. O. LOWE.

